KING PRIAM IN GREEK MYTHOLOGY
Priam of Troy
Today, the most famous names from Greek mythology are unsurprisingly, the names of Greek gods and goddesses, but of course the stories of Ancient Greek equally concerned the activities of mortals. Heroes such as Perseus and Heracles were revered, and even the actions of kings such as Agamemnon were recorded in great detail.
Agamemnon is of course a central figure from the Trojan War, for it was the Mycenaean king who led the Achaean forces. There were of course two sides in the war, and the city of Troy, at the time, was ruled by King Priam.
Agamemnon is of course a central figure from the Trojan War, for it was the Mycenaean king who led the Achaean forces. There were of course two sides in the war, and the city of Troy, at the time, was ruled by King Priam.
Priam Son of Laomedon
Priam was the son of King Laomedon of Troy, probably born to Laomedon’s wife Strymo. Laomedon was known to have had a number of sons, including Lampus and Clytius, and several daughters, including Hesione.
Priam though was not named Priam at this time for he was instead named Podarces, and his change of name has to do with the actions of the Greek hero Heracles and Priam’s father, Laomedon.
Priam though was not named Priam at this time for he was instead named Podarces, and his change of name has to do with the actions of the Greek hero Heracles and Priam’s father, Laomedon.
Priam Becomes King of Troy
Heracles came to Troy when the city was under attack by disease and a sea monster, the attacks being the retribution of Poseidon and Apollo, after Laomedon had refused to pay them for work done. Heracles promised Laomedon to free Troy from the attacks, if the king would promise to give him the swift horses of Troy in payment.
Laomedon agreed to the deal and on the beach outside of Troy, Heracles slew the sea monster after three days of fighting. With the death of the monster, the pestilence also left Troy, but when Heracles went to Laomedon to take payment, the king refused and locked the city gates against the hero. Heracles would later return to Troy with several ships of men, including Telamon, and the hero laid siege to the city. Heracles would eventually enter the city, and the Greek hero killed Laomedon. The sons of the king were also killed by Heracles, until only the youngest, Podarces was left alive. He too would have died at the hands of Heracles, but Hesione, the sister of Podarces, stayed the hand of Heracles, by offering up a ransom for her brother; the ransom taking the form of a golden veil. Podarces would then take the name Priam, meaning “ransomed”. Having had his life spared, Priam then found himself elevated to king status, for Heracles put the Trojan prince upon the throne, making him ruler of Troy. |
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Troy Prospers Under Priam
Troy would prosper under the leadership of Priam, the city’s walls were rebuilt, and the military strength of Troy would grow. Priam was even said to have led the forces of Troy when allied with the Phrygians in a war against the Amazons.
As money flowed into Troy, through trade, so Priam built himself a magnificent palace; A palace built from brilliant white marble, comprising many hundreds of different rooms.
As money flowed into Troy, through trade, so Priam built himself a magnificent palace; A palace built from brilliant white marble, comprising many hundreds of different rooms.
The Children of King Priam
A large palace was required, for it would house the sons and daughters of Priam, and their spouses. Ancient sources would claim that King Priam of Troy fathered 50 sons and 50 daughters, and although the mother of these children are not always named, it was said that Priam was married twice, first to the daughter of the seer Merops, Arisbe, and then more famously to Hecabe.
Many of the children of King Priam are famous, and amongst the sons were the likes of Hector, Paris, Aesacus, and Helenus, and some of the daughters were Cassandra and Polyxena. |
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King Priam and Paris
The relationship between King Priam and his son Paris is arguably the most important one in Greek mythology, for it was Paris who would bring about the downfall of Troy.
As Hecabe was due to give birth to Paris, Aesacus uttered a prophecy about this new son bringing about the downfall of Troy if left to live. King Priam decided that the danger to Troy was great enough that he had his servant, Agelaus, expose the newborn baby upon Mount Ida. The son, who would become known as Paris did not die, as he was first suckled by a bear, before being rescued by Agelaus five days later.
Paris would of course cause the downfall of Troy as his abduction of Helen of Sparta, would bring forth an armada of a thousand ships full of fighting men to the very gates of Troy.
Priam though did nothing to avert the danger to his city when representatives of the Achaean force come to Troy to demand the return of Helen and the stolen treasure, siding with the wishes of Paris that Helen should remain within the city.
As Hecabe was due to give birth to Paris, Aesacus uttered a prophecy about this new son bringing about the downfall of Troy if left to live. King Priam decided that the danger to Troy was great enough that he had his servant, Agelaus, expose the newborn baby upon Mount Ida. The son, who would become known as Paris did not die, as he was first suckled by a bear, before being rescued by Agelaus five days later.
Paris would of course cause the downfall of Troy as his abduction of Helen of Sparta, would bring forth an armada of a thousand ships full of fighting men to the very gates of Troy.
Priam though did nothing to avert the danger to his city when representatives of the Achaean force come to Troy to demand the return of Helen and the stolen treasure, siding with the wishes of Paris that Helen should remain within the city.
Achilles and King Priam
The other children of King Priam would become famous because of their activities during the Trojan War, when the Achaean forces laid siege to Troy for ten years. Priam though was already said to be advanced in age, and so the King of Troy did not take an active role in the defence of the city, and the role of defender of Troy was given to Priam’s son Hector.
During the Trojan War though Priam is famous for one act, for he braved the camp of the enemy when his son Hector was slain by Achilles.
The rage of Achilles had been such that the body of Hector had been desecrated, and the heralds of Troy had been unable to ransom the body. Zeus though looked down on Priam with some pity, and had Hermes escort the king into the Achaean camp. Priam effectively begs Achilles to return the body of his son so that it can buried with honours. The words of Priam move Achilles so that he agrees, and also ensures that a temporary truce follows to allow for funeral games for Hector.
During the Trojan War though Priam is famous for one act, for he braved the camp of the enemy when his son Hector was slain by Achilles.
The rage of Achilles had been such that the body of Hector had been desecrated, and the heralds of Troy had been unable to ransom the body. Zeus though looked down on Priam with some pity, and had Hermes escort the king into the Achaean camp. Priam effectively begs Achilles to return the body of his son so that it can buried with honours. The words of Priam move Achilles so that he agrees, and also ensures that a temporary truce follows to allow for funeral games for Hector.
The Death of King Priam
Homer’s Iliad finishes before the downfall of Troy but other writers in antiquity took up the tale, and it is a tale that includes the death of Troy.
When Priam hears that the Achaeans were within the very walls of Troy, the elderly king was said to have adorned himself with his old armour to meet the threat. His daughters though convinced him instead of fighting to seek sanctuary within the temple of Zeus. |
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The temple proved not to be a safe haven though, for Neoptolemus chased the wounded Polites, a son of Priam, into the temple, and as Priam sought to defend his son, Neoptolemus deflects the spear thrown at him, and drags Priam down from the temple’s alter, and runs him through.
With the city of Troy in ruins, and the vast majority of the male defenders of Troy dead, and the woman kept as prizes of war, there is no one left to bury King Priam, and he was said to have remained where he died, until the city crumbled away around him.
With the city of Troy in ruins, and the vast majority of the male defenders of Troy dead, and the woman kept as prizes of war, there is no one left to bury King Priam, and he was said to have remained where he died, until the city crumbled away around him.